Young talents shine at Qatar’s ‘Naqla’ school chess contest

“The third edition of the “Naqla” school chess project concluded with the participation of 102 students from 16 primary schools, highlighting growing interest in chess among young students in Qatar. The event was organised by the Qatar Chess Federation in co-operation with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education and the Ministry of Sports and Youth. The final tournament of the 2025–2026 edition was dedicated to primary schools and featured separate competitions for boys’ and girls’ government schools. Each category consisted of six rounds, attended by officials from both ministries and the federation. Hittin Model School for Boys dominated the boys’ individual competition, with Khalid al-Zeyara taking the first place, followed by Hamad al-Zeyara in second and Aser Hijab in third. In the girls’ individual category, Masa Ramadan of Al Markhiya Primary School for Girls secured first place, while her teammate Amira al-Moumeni came second. Aisha al-Fakhro of Al Bayan Primary School for Girls finished third. Hittin Model School for Boys also claimed the boys’ team title, ahead of Malik Bin Anas Model School for Boys in second place and Khalifa Model School for Boys in third. In the girls’ team standings, Al Markhiya Primary School for Girls won first place, followed by Maimouna Primary School for Girls in second and Al Bayan First Primary School for Girls in third. The winners were honoured by Dr Ibrahim bin Saleh al-Nuaimi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education; Maha Zayed Al-Qaqqaa al-Ruwaile, Assistant Undersecretary for Educational Affairs; and Mohammed al-Mudahka, president of the Qatar Chess Federation. In a press statement, al-Mudahka said the tournament, now in its third consecutive year, forms part of the federation’s broader “Chess in Schools” initiative aimed at developing and promoting the game across educational institutions. He noted that the project seeks to expand participation in local tournaments and increase the number of players registered and internationally rated by the International Chess Federation. He added that this year’s edition revealed several promising young talents who could strengthen Qatar’s chess scene in the future, while emphasising the federation’s plans to increase the number of participating schools in upcoming editions. Al-Mudahka also lauded the support provided by the Ministry of Sports and Youth and the Ministry of Education and Higher Education in helping expand the reach of chess in schools. The Qatar Chess Federation continues to organise educational and training programmes focused on the academic and developmental benefits of chess. These initiatives include teaching the fundamentals of the game, arbitration rules, and tournament organisation, as well as training teachers to supervise school chess teams and inter-school competitions.

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